Prototype tote bag

I want to make a more versatile tote bag as gifts so I took that little drawing from yesterday and started putting some measurements to it.  There are a few more pieces I need to cut out but those will have to wait until I start sewing pieces together to get more accurate measurements. 

I got most of the pieces cut out and even labeled them!

Next I cut and ironed on the interfacing, and pressed and folded the handles. I did give myself some wiggle room with length of some of the pieces.

Tonight, I will start sewing this together and hopefully get the lining cut out.  This first one will be for me.  

Pouches and snow

I wasn't moving too fast on Sunday.    I wanted to make few more curved top pouches so I got four more units quilted. With these four, I have made 72 over the last four weeks.  

Cut them to size

and now they are sewn together ready for a label once those arrive. Looks like the labels arrived in the states on Friday and are probably going thru customs right now.

I sewed the backs on these three smalls. They are now ready for stuffing.

I had another order arrive from Wawak and this time I remember to get some zipper stops. I needed those for the zipper I had put in that hoodies I altered.

I am designing a special tote bag and have the basic design figured out. Now I need to figure out a cutting list.

I snowed sometime in the very early hours. Here where I live, it was just sticking to the grass, cars, trash bins but not to the streets.

Then on my way to work fog was heavy. We have people that live all over NE Ohio and this morning they were saying the highways were bad because there was ice on the bridges. That meant there were lots of accidents. I don't have to go on a highway thank goodness! The daffodils looked pretty sad this morning.

Busy, busy, busy!

I took Friday off because I just have a lot to do. Thursday evening, I started getting my sister's 2024 Xmas present ready for mailing. Yes, 2024! I added a couple other things. One of those was a copy of our mom's recipe box. I had to clean off one of the tables in the garage. I spend 1 1/2 hours cleaning. Now I had a place to put this binding machine.

It binds the papers like this

I had a cross stitch piece to frame too. I will show you that once my sister receives her package. Packing up everything took me until Friday morning to get everything ready then make a boxy pouch to mail for someone else. A quick trip to the grocery store and both packages are now in the post office's hands

The rest of my Friday was spent sewing together pouches. 22 more done. I also had to paint and start to assemble my sign for Saturday's protest.

The daffodils are looking pretty!

Saturday morning, I had a hair appointment which with travel time took over two hours. I stopped at Hobby Lobby on the way back. I was looking for discounted frames. I found one I liked. I needed some paint brushes and found some marked down, got a couple of pails for Easter candy, and I needed more framing hardware.

I ran into a friend and we talked a bit. I had to hustle home to get something to eat then I headed out to the Hands Off Protest. There must have been a couple thousand people there! People driving up and down the street honking horns, chanting, blowing whistles, and bells! This is the first time I have ever participated in something like this. I was there for two hours. I was getting tired so I headed back to the car which was almost a half mile away. Next time I will wear hearing protection; it got loud! I used a pint extension pole so I could make my sign taller or shorter as needed. I could also rest the pole on the ground so I didn't have to hold the sign. I got this idea from my brother, but made it even better with using the extentable paint pole.

Once I got home I sat down to rest a bit. I think I fell asleep in my sewing chair. By the time I woke up it was around 5, so I got some dinner and started feeling a bit better. I decided to finish up the last eight pouches.

I keep plugging along on the pouches

I got 7 more pouches finished last night.  Remember, they are inside out.

I look every day to see where the labels are and they are making their way to Ohio. Once they hit the states, I ought to get them pretty quickly unless they get held up in customs.

More Pouches done

I was able to get the 10 pouches done last night except of course for the labels. Here they are inside out.

Only 37 more to sew together!

Better than nothing

I had a heck of a day at work. When I got home, I got a bite to eat and fell asleep in my sewing chair. I did manage to get the zipper installation started on the next 10 pouches.